Financial Representatives are facing higher expectations than ever before. Maintaining a successful relationship with clients requires not only developing a financial plan or tax strategy. In today’s constantly connected world, you must be accessible 24/7 to serve your clients, and somehow find the time to open, service, and manage client accounts, all while handling day-to-day office duties, and reviewing strategic business concerns. These pressures can make the Financial Representative feel encumbered with trying to be … Read More

If your client was asked by their best friend who they should use as a financial advisor, would this be your client’s answer? “I don’t know exactly what my advisor does, when they will call me next, and they handle 37% of my wealth so you should definitely call them to help you” Well, that probably isn’t the answer you hope they give. And while you think you know what your clients say about you, … Read More

The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC or Fed) meets eight times a year, approximately every six weeks, to discuss and set monetary policy. But just prior to four of those meetings, right around the end of each quarter, the FOMC participants submit projections for five key economic variables. These variables are; real output growth, unemployment rate, overall inflation, core inflation, and short-term interest rates (Federal Funds Rate). Their projections cover three years, as well … Read More

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J., April 17, 2018 – Sean Hanlon, Founder, CEO and Co-Chief Investment Officer of innovative asset management firm Hanlon Investment Management, and ’80 alumnus of Stevens Institute of Technology, was awarded Steven’s Honor Award, recognizing notable achievement in the field of investment and wealth management, and financial technology (fintech), at the annual Stevens Awards Gala at The Plaza Hotel New York on April 14, 2018. The gala brought together alumni, friends and … Read More

Economic Commentary The latest estimate for 4th quarter US GDP was revised higher at an annualized 2.9% growth rate. So far, consensus expectations for the 1st quarter of 2018 are similar to earlier 4th quarter estimates of 2.5%, with the preliminary release coming on April 19th. Weak consumer spending and retail sales data has weighed slightly on estimates, and continues to be somewhat of a conundrum as consumer confidence has been extremely high since the … Read More

As many people focus on U.S. GDP these days and how it needs to be higher, they seem to be missing something. While the level of recent U.S. GDP has trended lower than in the past, it has become much more stable and steady. While high GDP seems desirable, unsustainably high GDP tends to crash, creating a boom-bust cycle. One can argue that a steadier GDP, even at a somewhat lower level, without the bust … Read More

Last week, markets tumbled across the board, erasing 2018’s gains for most major global equity indices. Sharp downside market moves like last week’s serve as a reminder that the market will do whatever it needs/wants in the short run, oscillating around news du jour, recent news including trade wars, interest rates, Big Tech under the government microscope, government budgets, Trump tweets, etc. However, earnings and interest rates control the market’s long-term direction. We are long-term … Read More

Some prominent fixed-income analysts have officially declared an end to the 30+ year bull market in bonds. The prices of bonds move inversely to the movement of interest rates, and it is obvious that yields on the 10-Year US Treasury Note have broken out of the long-term trend of lower highs with resistance now becoming support (blue line below). While we agree that there are powerful forces supporting higher rates, we wonder how much has … Read More

Read the rest of the series here: Volatility Returns – Exploring the Reasons and What Happens Next Volatility Returns Update – Markets Enter Correction Territory. The S&P 500 Index officially entered “correction” territory, defined as a 10% decline from the prior peak, on Thursday, February 8 when the index closed at 2,581, -10.16% below its January 29 all-time high of 2,873. Intraday, it fell as low as -12% below its all-time high. While the correction … Read More